To Reverse a Curse
by bluepixy13
Summary: After the High King is bitten by a creature, Jareth and his friend Kieran track it down. The creature ends up being a woman who has been cursed, and claims that the Goblin King is the only one who can help her. Is this all just a game, or is the woman sincere? In the Underground, nothing is as it seems. J/S
1. Creature of the Night

**A.N.-** So this plot bunny blindsided me while I was trying to update one of my other fics. I don't normally do darkly bent stories, but this idea would't leave me be. Definitely a more mature story, and is rated as such.

Jareth/Darkish!Sarah pairing

Creature of the Night

The darkness was made even more palpable by the lack of moonlight filtering through the dense forest. A slim figure fled quickly, without making any noise, but soon the silence was broken by the barking and baying of wolfhounds. Then, a couple of horses crashed through the underbrush, following the dogs. On top of the horses, men gazed keenly ahead of them. The men had a wildness about them, with pointed ears and angular features. One of them caught up to another, "King Jareth, we should separate and cut it off."

Jareth glanced at his friend, his blonde hair dancing as his horse ran. "Wise thought, Kieran. I'll go ahead, my horse is faster."

"Be careful, Jareth, the creature has bitten the High King already."

With a nod, Jareth spurred his steed, then they were flying. He had centuries of hunting experience, and he thought he knew where the creature was headed. Speeding onward, he forced Stargazer, his stallion, to maneuver a few sharp turns, then they were in front of a cave. A brief glance around informed Jareth that he had been quicker. He dismounted and hid in the treeline, tying Stargazer to a pine so the beast couldn't run off, and waited. It was no more than a few moments before a blur of a figure darted out of the forest, and Jareth leaped onto it. The creature snarled in his grasp and with a start, he realized it was a woman. The woman used Jareth's distraction to her advantage, managing to twist around and bite him on the neck. The strangest thing happened then, as she seemed to be knocked to the ground by some unknown force, writhing in some amount of pain. Jareth cast a spell, conjuring up some ropes which magically tied around the woman. She couldn't escape now. He took the opportunity to grab a handkerchief from his vest, dabbing it to the wound on his neck. It stung a bit, but was otherwise insignificant. As Kieran showed up, Jareth was observing the woman's features. She had short, chin-length ebony hair. Her eyes flashed an unnatural blue. She was thin, but not bony, and her ears were slightly pointed but not as obvious as one of his kind. "Intriguing," he said to himself.

"What is it?" Kieran asked, having heard the remark.

"She doesn't seem to be typical of her kind."  
"Of course I'm not," the woman bit out, breathing heavily. She still seemed to be suffering somewhat, but wasn't in as bad of shape as she had been moments ago.

It was at that point that Kieran noticed the blood at Jareth's neck. "You've been bitten!" He glared accusingly at the woman. "You bit him! And you bit the High King! You've condemned them to be cursed, vampire!"

The woman laughed, "Silly Fae, they won't turn. I'm not a monster, despite my needs."

Confusion was obvious on Kieran's face, as he shook his head, making the auburn curls on top sway. "I thought that you only had to be bitten to turn."

She shrugged, "Maybe for a human. I was not completely human when I turned, though, and I still almost died from the experience. Trust me, I've bitten plenty of Fae before, and none of them have turned."

"Still, you bit the High King, and he's ordered you to be sentenced to the dungeons."

The woman appeared to be only paying half attention, instead staring at Jareth. Finally, it seemed Jareth had had enough of it. "What are you looking at, woman? You said yourself that you'd seen other Fae before, I'm no different."

A slow smirk spread on the woman's features as she replied, "That's where you're wrong...Goblin King."

Jareth was stunned, but Kieran whispered to him, "Don't let her get to you. She drank your blood, so who knows what information she's gained from it." Still, Jareth was unnerved. There was something familiar about this woman... Kieran clapped him on the back, saying, "You seem tired, let me take this creature back to the High King. Go home, you need rest."

Tearing his eyes from the woman, Jareth nodded. "Yes, it's been a long week, and I've been away from my own castle for far too long. Goodness knows what those goblins have been doing in my absence." With one last glance at the woman, Jareth mounted his horse and took off.

Kieran picked up the tied woman, placing her on the back of his own horse, and began the journey back to the High King. The woman didn't say much of anything for a while, so he had somewhat forgotten she was there, when she spoke. "Will the High King kill me, do you think?"

"I'm not sure. Can you even be killed? I know normal vampires can."

"I'm guessing that my head being separated from my body might do the trick."

"Do you care whether you live or die?"

"I used to wish to die every day. Then after I got over my pity party, all the days just kind of blurred together. I had almost forgotten my name. Tonight is the first time I would very much like to keep living."

"What changed?" This conversation was a strange one, thought Kieran. Not that he ran into vampires all that often, since they typically stayed Aboveground, where their food source was. He found himself unintentionally fascinated by this woman.

"I tasted his blood. I think I know how to undo my state now."

Kieran's eyebrows raised. "You mean the High King?"

"No, the Goblin King."

A strange streak of jealousy ran through him as he heard an almost longing tone in her voice. "Well what about me, I'm a prince? Maybe I can help you."

He could hear the grin in her tone as she answered, "As much as I appreciate the offer, I'm afraid I'm not the type to lead a man on. No, the Goblin King is _mine_ , I will have no one else."

As if by magic, the strange attraction was gone, and a thread of fear took it's place. "I won't let you touch him again."

"Oh good, the enchantment is gone. Don't worry your pretty little head, Princeling, I won't hurt him. If by some chance I did, I would suffer as well."

Feeling foolish that he'd been under the spell of a vampire, intended or not, Kieran went silent for the rest of the ride.

The castle was a veritable fortress of stone, enormous in size. Kieran took the woman down to the dungeons. He asked, "If I untie you, will you escape?"

"Not unless the King means to execute me." Kieran's eyes narrowed until she rolled hers, saying, "I promise I won't try to escape, unless my life depends upon it."

He huffed, but cut her ties. "I'd bring you some food, but..."

A hungry expression came over her then, one that he wasn't sure he liked. "If you can find a magical creature, something non-sentient, I'd be grateful."

He was disturbed, but managed an, "Alright, I'll see what I can do." As he was about to go, though, something caught up to him in his mind. "Your eyes are different."

"What?"

"When I first saw you, they were almost a glowing blue. Now, they're closer to green and not so...unnatural."

She leaped up, grasping the bars of the cell, and he stumbled back. "Then I was right! The magic of the Labyrinth is the key!"

Kieran said, "I don't understand. Just who are you, anyway?"

She held out her deceptively dainty hand, "My name is Sarah."


	2. Sarah's Story

**A.N.-** Thanks to all who are following so far, here's an update for ya! This chapter is lighter in tone (snarky Sarah comes out to play a bit lol)

Sarah's Story

Sarah sat in the dark cell, contemplating the chain of events which had brought her to this place. Really, she hadn't thought about herself, or her family, in decades. Just how long _had_ it been since she'd been bitten? Not knowing what year it was currently, she couldn't say for sure. She normally stayed away from the Fae cities, choosing instead to prey upon the rural areas, where lesser creatures roamed. But there had been a Fae couple in the woods, roughly two weeks prior, and she just couldn't help herself. The rush of magic through her veins at their small amount of blood had been like what coffee must taste to a sleep deprived person. The memories of such beings were always annoying to sift through, having to separate what were their memories instead of hers a time consuming task. Something in the female Fae's memories had struck a cord within Sarah, however. Something that had made her seek out the neck of the High King. Something which had led her, like the thread of Fate, to _him_. Her thoughts were interrupted by the door being opened, as Prince Kieran stepped in again. He had a bag in one hand, which was squirming with movement. Sarah looked at it in question.

"It's a Brownie of some sort," Kieran motioned to it. "I'm only going to hand it over if you promise to answer some more questions I have."

"Very well." Kieran tossed the bag to her, which she deftly caught.

He looked away, not wanting to see her feasting on the creature. No more than half a minute had passed, when the Brownie scurried past him, wide eyed. "You didn't kill it?"

Sarah rolled her eyes at him. "I told you, I'm not a monster. Though, I will admit that when I first became-this, I was so freaked out by the whole thing, that I almost starved myself. And when I finally couldn't take it anymore, I did kill a few magical creatures in my thirst. None of them were sentient, as far as I know."

"Alright, you're a vampire, but not exactly. How did that happen?"

"I was bitten, just like any other human. The only problem was, I was changing into something else already."

"You were becoming a Fae? That's not possible unless-."

"I was given Fae food, from the Underground. I'm not even sure if he meant to change me by doing that." She had been walking around her cell while he asked his questions, but now, her head tilted. She gave him a sharp look. "I don't have much time now, so you have two choices. Either you leave me and I die, or you take me to the Goblin King and have all your questions answered.

Kieran asked, "What? I don't understand. What does the Goblin King have to do with all of this anyway?"

"Your father is coming to kill me. Most likely he's afraid of what I've learned from his blood, as well he should be."

Startled, he began to say, "How did you know that the High King was-."

He was cut off though. "Now, you can help me escape, and, should you decide that I'm no longer of interest to you, you can return me to your father with no more than a slap on the wrist, I'm sure. Or, you can let him execute me and never find out why I am special. Not to mention the threat to your friend would still remain." Kieran hesitated. He wasn't sure he could trust this woman, Sarah. Yet some instinct was telling him that she was important somehow. "Tick, tock," she sing-songed.

"Alright! Let me get you out of there."

"Do hurry, we wouldn't want the High King to find you assisting my escape, now would we?" She smirked.

Kieran opened the cell door, grasping her wrist and holding firm as he led her out the door and down the corridor to another hallway. "I'll take you out the entrance they use for political prisoners. It requires a key that only the royal family carries."

"Lucky me that I've befriended a Princeling, then."

"You're no friend of mine."

"Ouch, how you wound me with your distrust," Sarah replied with mock sadness. "Just think about this then; since we've met, have I once lied to you?"

"No, but that doesn't mean anything. I still don't know what your motives are, and until I do, I'm keeping a close eye on you." Once they exited out of the tunnel, Kieran turned to her saying, "I don't have the magical ability to portal us both to the Labyrinth. I'm still young, in Fae years, and my magic isn't as developed."

Sarah smiled, answering, "No worries, Princeling, I can do it."

"What? Wait!" But before he could stop her, she'd cast the spell and they were standing in the Goblin King's castle.

Befuddled, Kieran forgot the reason why he didn't want her to portal them before he could give Jareth a head's up. "How did you know where it was?"

"What is the meaning of this?!" Jareth came storming into the room. There were storm clouds and lightning in his eyes, and it appeared as if he had been interrupted from his daily bath. He was only wearing his plain trousers, and there was water glistening on his bare chest, while his ever present medallion swung to and fro.

Kieran had the decency to blush and bow, trying to calm his friend down. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I can explain."

The anger seemed to subside from Jareth's stance as he saw who it was. "Kieran, what in the Underground is going on? I thought you were taking that creature to the High King. And now, not only have you brought her here, you've put no restraints on her!"

Kieran appeared to be struggling with what to say, so Sarah stepped forward. "I assure you, you're in no harm from _me_ , Your Majesty. However, there is a threat to you, and if you'll indulge my presence at your castle, I think I can help you defeat it."

"Enough," Jareth growled lowly. "Just who do you think you are? I don't trust just anyone, and I especially wouldn't trust someone who's already attacked the High King, as well as myself."

"I didn't realize who you were when I bit you, and for that, I do apologize. I'm certain, though, that once you realize that you and I are old friends, that you'll come to trust me."

"I have no idea who you are, and I tire of this game, so get to the point."

"Why Jareth, I'm upset that you don't remember me."

"Hah! You learned my name from drinking my blood, very clever. Your use of it won't affect me, so you'd better think of something else, quickly, before I drag you back to the High King myself."

Sarah couldn't help the wide grin forming on her face as she approached Jareth. He was wary, but didn't move as she stood only a few inches from him. When she stopped, she said, "Piece of cake. Oh wait, I forgot, it's peaches you prefer."

The words had a stunning affect on him. He felt like his head was spinning. "No, it's impossible..." he all but whispered. Yet, as she stood there, so close to him, he couldn't deny the uncanny resemblance, right down to the deep green eyes. Strange, he thought that her eyes had been a brilliant blue when he'd first met her. Still, he wasn't quite convinced. "No! You have no idea what you're talking about!" he shouted.

Sarah sighed. She really thought it was going to be easier than this. "Jareth, you of all people should know that nothing is impossible. But if you need further evidence, then so be it. Such a pity."

It was that phrase which finally made him see the truth. "Sarah..."

Her eyes lit up, "About damn time. Now that you know who I am, we can get on to the business of saving your ass and undoing my curse. This is going to be loads of fun, just you wait!"


	3. Uneasy Alliance

**A.N.-** I've finally updated something, yay! This story is getting away from me, in a good way lol. Hope everyone likes it!

Uneasy Alliance

Sarah was facing a cell door again, deciding on a course of action. She had known that Jareth wouldn't be exactly pleased to see her, but she had hoped that almost two centuries of absence since their last confrontation would have left only a lingering resentment. Still, he was acting rather bull-headed about the situation, which frustrated her to no end. He'd wasted no time ordering her to be re-imprisoned. An order which Kieran had shrugged at her as if to say, "Sorry, but orders are orders." She hadn't resisted, and she wondered whether it would be wiser just to wait, or to break out and confront the Goblin King with his stupidity. Oh, she could break out, of that she had no doubt. Jareth had no idea she had magic, he probably just assumed that Kieran had transported them both to the castle. Unless of course Kieran said something. Whatever, it didn't matter, she would wait. It seemed that Jareth distrusted her, and she would have to just show him that she was no threat. Funny. that thought. Her musings were interrupted by the door swinging open. Jareth framed the doorway in his full, black regalia. He still didn't appear happy with her presence.

"Explain everything to me," he said in a deadly serious tone.

A shiver of fear crept up Sarah's spine. She might be powerful now, but Jareth, no doubt, had a bit more magic than she. He would not underestimate her as he once had done. She forced herself to relax. If she appeared non-chalant, he might begin to believe her. She held her hands out in front of her, palms up, the universal gesture of compliance. "What do you wish to know?"

"Start from the beginning. What happened after you...went back home that night?"

She took note of the fact that he avoided saying anything about her winning his challenge. She grinned instead. "You were expecting me to come back, weren't you? I mean, why else feed me Fae food as a back up plan?"

He responded with his own wicked grin, then, shrugging, "I was desperate." His grin faded as he added, "And foolish."

Foolish for which part, she wondered? She let him retreat, though, not wanting to push too much just yet. "To answer your question, nothing happened for a few months. Everything was pretty much normal for me and I was looking forward to graduating from High School. Then, I started to notice changes about me. It was so subtle at first that I thought I must be imagining things. That might have worked if not for the random magic I conjured one day. It was then that I realized that I could never be a normal girl again, that I would have to go back to the Labyrinth."

"I...am sorry."

Sarah snorted, "No you're not, not really. In any case, I wasn't upset with you, not when I was the one who'd made the wish in the first place. I was trying to run away, to stay at some cheap hotel and figure out how to get back to you, since the mirror wasn't working. That's when... Well, I'd rather not talk too much about that, if you don't mind. She meant to kill me, I think. Instead, the fact that I was already changing into a Fae didn't sit too well with her palate. She didn't make it, the magic was too much for her. I almost didn't make it either, the pain was excruciating. In the end, I was alive, but I wasn't human anymore. I wasn't entirely Fae or vampire, for that matter, but rather a bit of both. At first, I thought that I would die, again, because I tried to drink from a human and it made me puke and I grew terribly thirsty. Somehow, I made a portal to the Underground. My thirst was so bad that I killed the first few creatures I came upon. The magic in that creature's blood was what I needed to survive. So I began to only hunt non-sentient creatures, and I was glad that I had my self back under control because I didn't want to have to kill if it wasn't necessary. Time passed and I forgot, for the most part, who and where I was. My life revolved around finding my next meal and staying hidden. That's when the Fae couple stumbled into the woods where I was staying. I couldn't pass up a free meal like that, not when I could make sure they wouldn't remember anything. What I didn't realize was that the woman was a spy for the High King. When I drank her blood, I saw her immediate thoughts, which showed me the High King, and mentioned the Goblin King. That thought of you gave me some of my memories back, and I had a new purpose, to find you again."

"And now that you have found me, what are your intentions?"

She smiled ruefully at him, replying, "When I drank from the High King, my only hope was that he could show me how to find you. Instead, I found a convoluted scheme. My new purpose is to thwart him from achieving his goals."

Sarah had been sitting this whole time, and Jareth now stooped to her eye level, gaze narrowed. "How do I know I can trust you? There is no reason, that I can think of, why the High King should wish me dead. Not that we are close, but I have helped him when he was at his lowest. Why would he turn on me now, after all that time?"

"I didn't get enough of a drink to tell me everything, but there are outside forces which have been plaguing his mind for some time now."

"And Kieran, is he a part of this plot?"

"No, which will make getting him as our ally in this endeavor a difficult task."

Jareth's eyebrows raised. He stood back up and paced a bit before turning back to her and saying, "I'm still not quite convinced, but...there have been rumors swirling about that the High King hasn't been himself as of late. I'll give you the opportunity to prove that what you're saying is true. However, I will be watching you very closely. I'll see to it that you get an appropriate guest room."

"Aww, Jareth, that's the nicest thing you've said to me since I showed up in your castle." She swept her hand over his chest lightly as she passed him into the hallway.

Despite his determination to keep her at arm's length, he felt the familiar tingle of arousal at her touch. He shook his head, not quite believing that she could still get him worked up after a nearly two century long wait. _Perhaps I should seek female company,_ he thought, realizing it'd been a while since he'd had a woman to warm his bed. _Forget a random female, get_ her _into your bed!_ his traitorous mind supplied as he watched her sashay up the stairs.

Jareth managed to get his desires under control before he reached the room he would have Sarah stay in, despite her sticking closer to him than he was comfortable with. The room held a large sleigh bed made from cedar, and the bedding had a tree and owl motif. There were stained glass windows, with different colored circles as a pattern, and Sarah wondered if they were supposed to represent the crystals Jareth sometimes conjured. There was a dresser and nightstand which were also made out of cedar. In one corner of the room there was an opening which led into a bathroom. The sink and tub were made out of polished stone, and there was a porcelain toilet as well. "Wow, I'm impressed that you actually have a toilet," she commented.

"I'd rather not have to deal with the archaic ways of getting rid of waste. It all goes into the Bog, anyway."

Sarah felt her lip curling in disgust. "I suppose that's one way of making sure it stays stinky. Thank you for the room, by the way."

It had been dark when Sarah and Kieran had appeared in the castle, but now a thread of light could be seen through the colored glass. "You're welcome. Would you like me to conjure dark drapes for your window so that you may rest? I wouldn't want you to die on your first day here."

"Die?" Then she realized what he must be referring to and laughed. "The sun won't make me burst into flames, Jareth, that's not-. It's a myth. Now, full-fledged vampires are terribly sensitive to light, but not me. I'm actually rather hungry."

Jareth's eyes widened. "You can eat food?"

"Yes, though I mainly get my sustenance from drinking, and I can only eat Fae food. So what do you say we have some breakfast and talk with your Princeling?"

"Very well, it seems as if I won't get any sleep today in any case." He shook his head for the second time within the span of a few hours.

"What's wrong?"

"I just- This is hard for me to wrap my head around. After you left my kingdom the last time, I had been expecting you to show up again. I waited and I had everything planned out. I wasn't going to let you go again. But then...you never came and the years passed. I even visited your childhood home, but you were not there."

"How...how were they doing, my family?" She wasn't sure she wanted to know the answer to her question, yet she still held her breath for his answer.

"Toby was a young man. I almost didn't recognize him. Your father and stepmother were getting on in their years. Everyone appeared content. I thought you must have your own place, so I went inside at night to look around. I found articles about you, you had gone missing and never been found. I went to a dark place then. There wasn't anything I could do, though, for unless you yourself had called for me, I couldn't have helped you. It took me a long while to get past that time in my life. I thought you dead. Yet here you are before me."

Sarah was surprised to find herself crying. She hadn't felt any emotions in...well, she wasn't sure when the last time was that she'd felt anything other than the need to survive. She placed her hand on Jareth's cheek. "I'm sorry, Jareth. I should have called for you when I first noticed I was changing, but I didn't want to believe it. Now that I am here, what will you do with me?" She leaned in and kissed him hungrily.

The kiss was nothing like Jareth had imagined it would be. In all his planning, he had thought he would be the aggressor, the one to kiss _her_. The surge of passion overtook him, and he responded with his own hunger. Common sense stole into his mind, and he pushed her away, not hard but with enough force to stop her. "No, we can not. I can not. You may be here now, and you may be beautiful, but I still don't entirely trust you."

A wry smile stole over her lips. "The ironic thing is that I once distrusted you so much that I couldn't come up with a way for me to stay with you, without having Toby turn into a goblin. Instead I had to recite those horrible words. You may have held no power over my mind, Jareth, but my heart was a different matter."

He stared at her, unreadable for a moment. Then he said, "You should get dressed for breakfast. It will be interesting to see what you say to Kieran to make him believe his own father is against me." With that, he walked out of the room, closing the door.

Sarah sighed. After a moment, though, a smirk appeared. "Well, I always did like a good challenge. I guess it's my turn to go on the hunt."


	4. Twist of Design

**A.N.-** Now that months have passed without updates to any of my stories, I thought I'd try to make headway on one of them. This is the only one which has been giving me plot ideas at the moment, sadly, but at least it's something. And the plot in this one is definitely thickening. Enjoy!

Twist of Design

Kieran watched in some amusement as Jareth and Sarah gave each other glances over dinner. Whatever had happened between these two, there was definitely some tension. Perhaps now would be a good time to get the story from them. "So, will either of you cough up the tale of how you know each other?"

Jareth stilled, giving his friend a strange look, but was silent. Sarah, on the other hand, seemed very willing to spill the details. "It's simple, really. I once wished my brother away. Foolish of me, I know, but I was an overdramatic teenager. I ended up saving my brother, but I also lost."

"Lost what?"

"My heart."

Jareth slammed his utensils down at that, making the plates clink in anger. "That's enough. You were a girl with a crush, that's all. Yes, I tried to utilize that to my advantage, but it was a strategy, nothing more. Whatever you think you feel for me, it's not real. I'm sorry to be so blunt, but you must know that what I'm saying is true."

For the first time since she'd arrived, she let her emotions show, as the moisture gathered in her eyes. "If what you say is true, then it doesn't make sense at all. Why offer me my dreams if you were going to break that promise in the end?" She grew quiet, asking, "What about the dance?"

"It was an illusion, conjured up by your own desires. I wish to be crystal clear with you, Sarah. If you want my help, you'll speak no more of your so-called feelings towards me."

"So you're telling me that you didn't like it when I kissed you?" She challenged. "Cause it sure seemed like you were into it."

A slow smirk graced his lips. "Oh, I enjoyed it. You're a beautiful woman, to be sure, and I haven't had anyone initiate a kiss with me in some time." There was a beat of awkward silence before Jareth asked, "Now, are you going to tell Kieran what you told me?"

Sarah considered Jareth for a minute, then spoke to Kieran, apparently willing to momentarily drop the subject. "Your father is planning to make a move against your friend here soon."

"Why would my father wish to get rid of Jareth? He's been running the Goblin Kingdom well for over a millennia, and there isn't anyone putting themselves out there as a replacement right now."

"He's right," Jareth stated. "Goblins are much like toddlers in their behavior. It takes a strong hand, someone who can handle them without losing their mind. Not only that, but a potential ruler must be able to handle the amount of magic inherent in the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth has a sentience, born out of the fact that it is ancient and quite possibly built by the gods themselves."

"I don't know all the details, for I wasn't able to get a long enough drink. But I saw the thoughts which were foremost on his mind. He doesn't hate Jareth, per se, but there is some long standing resentment. And whatever reason he has for wishing to be rid of Jareth, it has to do with you, Kieran."

"So what, you wish me to accuse my own father of planning some evil against my best friend?" Kieran growled out angrily. "I'm sorry, but you'll have to give me more than just what you think you saw after you attacked him. What if all of this is just some maneuver to gain power? I've heard the stories of your kind."

Sarah was about to retort, when a goblin came rushing up, sputtering, "Your Majesty! The High King is here and wishes to speak with you!"

Instantly, Jareth was on his feet. "Sarah, you will be transported back to the dungeon instantly. I will not have the High King think me a traitor, no matter our past." His tone was deadly serious, so she merely nodded, and let Jareth send her to the cell. He told Kieran, "It looks like you may get a chance to see whether she speaks any truth or not." He then told the goblin to let the High King in.

The High King, known as Sylvanar to his close friends, strode purposely towards the table. His long, straight brown hair didn't seem to even move, and his steel grey eyes narrowed when he spotted his son. "Kieran, I thought you would be here." He sat down without asking permission first, his frame shorter and slightly wider than most Fae. "Jareth, do you have that creature in custody, then?"

Jareth smiled in reply, "You certainly get down to business, Your Highness. And yes, I put the creature in a cell as soon as Kieran arrived with her."

This turned Sylvanar's attention back to his son. "Just what in blazes did you think you were doing boy?! That...THING attacked me, and you saw fit to defy my orders to bring it here?!"

Kieran glanced at Jareth, who merely shrugged. It wasn't the Goblin King's place to interfere with royal family affairs. "I'm sorry, Father, but the woman was convinced that she saw something when she bit you. She says that you plan to go against Jareth somehow, so I brought her here to maybe get some straight answers from her. Jareth had no idea that I was bringing her, or I'm sure he would have told me I was an idiot."

Sylvanar's mouth popped open in shock. It took a full minute for him to compose himself, at which point he said, "Go against Jareth? What possible reason has this abomination come up with that I would wish ill against him? And furthermore, why would you believe such words in any case? Am I such a bad father that you have to resort to listening to the words of a vampire?"

"No, of course not! It's just...she was so convinced and I thought that maybe bringing her here would make her realize that she was mistaken."

"Kieran, that creature is not normal, it feeds off of our blood and magic. There's no emotion or feelings left within it other than to survive. I'm taking the creature back now and having her executed in the morning."

Jareth moved this time, "Of course, Your Highness. I'll take you to the cell where she's being kept." The High King was acting as anyone would in such a situation, and Jareth couldn't blame the man for feeling attacked by his own son. So why did Jareth get an uneasy feeling, like something wasn't sitting right? He brushed the feeling aside. There was nothing he could do now about it, in any case. He hadn't wished death upon Sarah, but she'd brought this upon herself. Still, the thought of her being executed made his heart constrict in sadness more than he thought it would after so long. A sense of dread descended on him as they neared the dungeon cell. When he peeked in, his suspicions were confirmed; she was gone. "Your Highness, she's missing, she must have escaped. I'll have every scout at my disposal out hunting her down."

Sylvanar turned to Jareth, his face red with anger. "No need, Jareth. I can see you've been planning this for who knows how long. I would have thought treason beneath you, since you've befriended my son, but it seems I was wrong." Now it was Jareth's turn to be shocked, as Sylvanar used his magic to bind the Goblin King.

"Father, surely you don't believe Jareth is to blame for the creature escaping!" Kieran cried. "I'm the one who let her out at your palace."

"He's soured you towards me, my son. This is the only way to make sure that peace is restored to the Kingdom. I'm bringing him to the palace to answer for this treachery." With that, Sylvanar vanished, taking Jareth with him.

Kieran began to cry. What was going on? "This is not the father who raised me," he whispered out loud.

"Are you sure about that?" came a voice behind him. He spun to face her. To his surprise, her face was full of sorrow. "I did try to tell you, but I didn't have enough proof. Now that proof doesn't matter. The High King will kill him, you know."

"What can I possibly do? Jareth is my best friend, but the High King is my father."

Sarah considered for a moment before replying. "I have a suspicion, but it will take some sneaking around your father's palace to confirm. I'd do it myself, but no one would believe me. If _you_ were the one to find the evidence against the High King..." Kieran looked torn at what she was suggesting. "Of course, if you wish to drop this, that's your choice. If you do decide not to try and help Jareth, all I ask is that you kill me too. If Jareth is dead, there's no reason for my continued existence either, for everyone I have cared about will be gone."

Finally he appeared to have made some choice. "You say that you have an idea, and though I'm not sure why, I trust you. Let's go save my friend."

Sarah grinned. "It seems we have a quest then."


	5. What Magic Wrought

Sarah and Kieran sat hidden in the brush just outside Sylvanar's palace. Sarah broke the silence first. "Sylvanar will have the evidence hidden someplace safe. Where does he keep his most important things?"

"His personal quarters, though it will be highly warded. My magic may not be strong enough to get in there."

"Very well, you see if you can get past the wards while I execute the prison break."

"Exactly how will you do that? If you use magic to transport yourself into the palace grounds at all, my father will know it."

"You'll have to be the distraction. You walk into the palace, apologizing and saying that you were being affected by a spell. Meanwhile, I'll sneak into the dungeons."

Kieran stroked his chin thoughtfully, then smirked at her, "I'll play victim, as if Jareth had bewitched me."

Sarah grinned back, "Now you're thinking."

Jareth sat contemplating his situation, wondering how he could have foreseen this. He realized that he wasn't around Sylvanar all that much, usually when he was in Kieran's company, so he wouldn't have insight into the man's behavior. His thoughts drifted to Sarah. She'd been right, but he wasn't beating himself up over the fact that he hadn't listened to her fully. After all, how could he have trusted her? Perhaps that was just it, though. She had trusted him enough to place herself in this situation. Why was that, though? Could she really feel something for him, after all this time? His thoughts were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"I never pegged you as the type to just sit back and let bad shit happen to you."

"And if you hadn't decided to bite the High King, then involve me in your schemes, none of this would have happened," he retorted angrily.

"You really think that? No, you're pissed off, but you're mad at the wrong person and Kieran is going to prove it."

"Sylvanar is a powerful being, even more powerful than myself. What makes you think you can beat him?"

"Just think of it this way; I've had a couple hundred years under my belt to practice beating Fae at their own games. You provided the training course, now I can perfect my methods."

Kieran had fooled his father. Playing the victim card had been simple, perhaps too much so, but there was no time to come up with an alternative. He'd claimed he wanted to lie down and rest, when in reality he was ascending the tower to his father's study. The ornate wooden desk commanded the attention of the room, but Kieran didn't bother to search there. No, anything his father wished to hide would be sealed away in a much less conspicuous place.

Kieran closed his eyes to feel with his senses, turning in place. There, a tug of magic that was subtle yet strong. He opened his eyes and saw the statue his father had commissioned for his long dead mother. It wasnt a large statue, but still it was very lifelike. Her features were set in a rather sad expression. He'd seen it before many times and had always wondered why his father had made the artist give her this look. He stepped closer to the sculpture, drawn towards a carved lotus at her feet. It was as if he knew what to do as a spell poured from his lips, his hands moving of their own accord. The flower opened and a leather bound book levitated up out of a compartment at the base. It was a journal, Kieran realized. He gripped it out of the air and began to read.

Back down in the dungeons, Jareth was pacing again. "Why did you come back, Sarah? You could have fled into the wilderness again and lived forever."

"What kind of life would I have had, Jareth? One where I forget who I am completely and become some wild thing?" She went up to him, reaching out and grasping his hand through the bars. He didn't flinch or try to pull away. She felt hope at that. "You're all I have left that I care about."

He opened his mouth to say something, when Kieran came rushing up to them. "Did anyone see you?" Sarah asked.

"I told the guards that I wanted to insult the prisoners. We don't have much time, I would imagine." He turned his gaze towards Jareth. "Sarah was right," a note of bitterness laced his tone. He tossed the journal through the bars as Jareth caught it deftly. "This belonged to my mother. Start reading from page sixty-seven."

Jareth raised his eyebrows, yet he started to recite from the book. "The day draws closer towards the moment my son will arrive, as does my concern. Jareth doesn't share my worries, but I've known Sylvanar since childhood and know he can act irrationally when desparate. Perhaps he doesn't have the power of High King, but he may figure out some scheme." Jareth paused to glance at Kieran, frowning. Then he asked, "I don't know who your mother is, why would she mention me?"

Kieran's lips thinned, replying, "Continue reading and you'll find out. Skip to page seventy-four."

"I've done it, though I'm not sure I can live with myself after what I've done. Alyssa is gone; sacrificed to the Labyrinth for the power to make me the High King. I've erased Jareth's memories. I can't bring myself to get rid of the babe, for he reminds me too much of her. And now I write in her journal, keeping her memories alive, though she rejected me in the end." Jareth's breathing increased, his eyes wide. "What- what does this mean?"

"It means that YOU used to be the High King, Jareth," Sarah said softly, "and that Sylvanar took everything you loved from you. Kieran is your son."

His brows drew together, his voice trembling as he spoke, "That explains why I felt such a kinship eith Kieran from the start." Then he shook his head. "How can we defeat Sylvanar now, though? He mentions he had to sacrifice your mother to the Labyrinth for power. What exactly happened?"

Kieran shrugged, replying, "I've read a bit more of the journal. Sylvanar repressed my magic, which is why I've never been as powerful as I could be. Still, he did educate me, and the Labyrinth was a favorite subject of mine. I can now see why. In any case, the Labyrinth itself is very old, with no known creator, yet it is sentient. Perhaps the souls of those sacrificed to create it's power are part of it now. Sylvanar told me that before you came along, the Labyrinth was wild, dangerous, and untamed. When you took over as it's ruler, you were able to tame it, so to speak. Funny how, even though Sylvanar paid such a huge price for power, you were still strong enough to be King of the Labyrinth."

"I'm sure Sylvanar always had a fear that I would remember and seek to overthrow him," Jareth growled out.

"He did, and in fact, one of your subjects found out about it."

"What? Who did, and why didn't they come to me?"

"It was a dwarf, a gardner of yours the journal says, who wandered too far and overheard Sylvanar talking to himself. It seems the dwarf made a portal to realm above, to warn a mortal champion. Sylvanar couldn't have a champion of yours telling you, so he sent a vampire to kill the champion. And now we've come full circle, haven't we?"

"Sarah..." Kieran nodded, and Jareth spun to ask her if she remembered finding out about Sylvanar so long ago. She was gone, though. "Where is she?!"

Kieran looked around, perplexed. The journal laid open on the ground. The words written down on the page were, "I will never forget what the Labyrinth told me; that all I've done today could be undone by another sacrifice. I vow to never let this happen."

"Oh no," Kieran moaned.

Jareth stared at the journal, his face turning pale. "I have to stop her. I love her."


End file.
